The best hotels on Princes Street, Edinburgh
An insider's guide to the best hotels on Princes Street, Edinburgh's main shopping thoroughfare, including the top places to stay for stylish interiors, luxurious rooms, sumptuous spas, Michelin-starred restaurants and great afternoon teas, near Edinburgh Castle, Waverley station, the National Gallery, and the Old Town.
An imposing and historic building in the heart of Edinburgh, with a Galvin restaurant, swimming pool and a Guerlain spa. Enjoy views of Edinburgh castle, excellent breakfasts and fabulous afternoon teas. This is one of the premier locations in Edinburgh - particularly good for dedicated shoppers - with major tourist attractions on the doorstep as well. Great transport links, with buses and a tram stop close by (although almost everywhere is within easy walking distance). Rooms come in four grades, from Classics to Suites, decorated in lightly soothing or softly stormy colours.
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Smack at the west end of Princes Street, close to the National Gallery, theatres, George Street and the Castle. The Rutland is also well-placed for Murrayfield, the home of Scottish rugby. An unassuming building that hides a sleek 12-room hotel above a surprisingly large bar and restaurants. While the hotel oozes quiet comfort - soft carpets, designer wallpaper and slinky furnishings - you can slip downstairs for a drink or a meal in The Huxley, in trendy shades of grey and tan. Rooms are light, spacious and quietly opulent with bold wallpapers, huge white headboards, bright accent colours on velvet cushions, stripy chairs and thick curtains.
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Off the east end of Princes Street, a little removed from the hurly burly. It’s a few minutes’ walk to Waverley Station and the city centre, close to Calton Hill. Apex may be a hotel chain, but it has solid style credentials with some skillful incorporation of many of the original building’s elegant Georgian features. The Yu Spa, though a little compact, has a gym, steam and sauna rooms, ozone pool and a good choice of treatments. A soothing palette of soft taupes, browns and slate grey, with accents of deep red, turquoise or soft green, is used to pleasing effect across the hotel’s 184 rooms.
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Bang opposite Waverley Station and handy for everything. Book early for views across the Old Town (efficient double glazing stops it being too noisy). The address is Princes Street, but the entrance is around the corner. This German brand brings strong design to budget hotels, leaving everyone else playing catch-up. Public areas are stylish, fun and functional; bedrooms are simple triumphs of good design using the house style with a lighter touch. The large reception/lounge area overlooking Princes Street has a good choice of seating and is an appealing place to hang out (bag one of the window-seats for a great view).
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Right in the middle of Princes Street, overlooking Princes Street Gardens with transport links to everywhere, including the airport by tram or bus and Waverley Station. There isn’t a more central location: you are two minutes’ walk from the National Gallery and Scottish Academy of Art and 10 minutes’ walk from the Old Town and the castle (the views of the castle from the hotel are pretty impressive as well). The look here is firmly traditional, with patterned carpets, swagged curtains and chairs designed to make it easy to get up.
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Although an Edinburgh landmark for more than a century, there's nothing old-fashioned about the Balmoral. Luxurious bedrooms, a Michelin-starred restaurant, lavish afternoon teas in the Palm Court and a spacious spa add up to a sophisticated 21st-century version of a truly grand hotel. It's next to Edinburgh's main Waverley station, at the eastern end of Princes Street, and it's a five minute walk to the National Gallery, shopping and the Old Town. Being well-placed for bus, tram and rail links means noisy, crowded chaos outside, but all is peaceful once past the kilted doormen.
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At the east end of Princes Street directly opposite Waverley Station, around the corner from a tram stop. The bar, restaurant and rooms at the front have splendid views of the Old Town and, if you look to your right, a pretty good view of the castle. You'll find gleaming white marble and curvy button back chairs; ornately corniced walls crowded with prints and old photographs of all things Scottish; yards of colourful faux-book bindings and a traditional fireplace enlivened by a privet surround. The Juniper Cocktail Bar is bright and buzzy, leading into a quieter area with inviting high back chairs, perfect for a quiet loll.